Problem determination involves detecting system problems and isolating the underlying causes of such system problems. Problem determination is identified as a core technology in the field of autonomic computing, and is considered an important yet difficult task.
Some existing problem determination techniques, such as log-and-trace preview approaches, analyze log files to generate events and make use of these events by searching a symptom database for possible remedies. Creating a symptom database is, however, a significant task and this approach has in many cases not been particularly successful.
Other techniques, such as those involving probing technology, make use of statistical data analysis for problem determination. Such techniques are complex in terms of the calculations involved.
Further techniques, such as the “pinpoint” technique, attempt to identify faulty components in a system. Such an approach can be helpful, but is not applicable if a system is not suitably modularized. Modularization can help to curb apparent system complexity to some extent. Regardless, detecting problems or failures and isolating their root causes is difficult whatever the level of system modularization.
Yet another technique is described in U.S. patent application No. 2002073063 filed Aug. 9, 2001 in the name of Faraj Mazen for International Business Machines Corporation, and published Jun. 13, 2002. This publication describes the generation of run-time traces for applications, in which problem determination is performed by generating and analyzing an application's trace data. A monitor is used for launching Java language virtual machines to generate event data. The event data is placed on an event queue, and the monitor then forwards the event data to a logging service. The logging service records the event data in a log file. A defined product description is used in conjunction with the log file data to provide an analysis to a user, based on a required level of analysis selected by the user. A graphical display of the data reflecting events from the product's run-time facilitates problem determination as the user is able to visually determine the execution path that the application followed.
Accordingly, in view of these and other observations, a need clearly exists for problem determination techniques that assist in analyzing the behavior of computer software applications.